Manufacture of plastic ampoules



Aug. 10, 19 54 E. E. LAKSO 2,685,767

- f-AANUFACTURE OF PLASTIC 'AMPOULES F' iled' Dec. 17. 1949 v s Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig. 1 I

INVENTOR.

E. AKSO Aug. 10,' 1954 E. E. LAKSO 2,685,767

MANUFACTURE OF PLASTIC AMI-OULES Filed Dec. 17. 1949 a Sheets-Sheet 2 f \ao gm 9|- 2 Mai 1,

Aug. 10, 1954 E. E. LAKSO MANUFACTURE OF PLASTIC AMFOULES 8 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Dec. 1'7, 1949 Ewe E. 2320 Aug. 10, 1954 E, LAKSO 2,685,767

MANUFACTURE OF PLASTIC AMPOULES Filed Dec. 17, 1949 8 Sheets-Sheet 4 IN VEN TOR.

Ewe E. LAKSO M fi Aug. 10, 1954 E. E. LAKSO 2,635,767

7 MANUFACTURE OF PLASTIC AMPOULES Filed D80. 17, 1949 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR.

Eg uo E. LAKSO g 10, 1954 E. E. LAKSO 2,685,767

MANUFACTURE OF PLASTIC AMPOULES Filed Dec. 17, 1949 8 Sheets-Sheet 6 INVENTOR.

Eug o E. LAKSO $7 Aug. 10, 1954 Filed Dec. 17, 1949 E. E. LAKSO 2,685,767

MANUFACTURE OF PLASTIC AMPOULES 8 Sheets-Sheet 7 SEALERS. cLBs Q EALERS o izm/ l l H 60 I20 I00 240 300 pzsnzas Fag 1O Fig. 9

Aug. 10, 1954 E. E. LAKSO MANUFACTURE OF PLASTIC AMPOULES 8 Sheets-Sheet 8 Filed Dec. 17. 1949 4 m o u d ,w m H h 5 u a B INVENTOR. LAKSO Emo E Patented Aug. 10, 1954 MANUFACTURE 0F PLASTIC AMPOULES Eino E. .Lakso, Fitchburg, Mass., assignor to -Sterling Drug Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of, Delaware Application December 17, 1949, Serial No. 133,531

1d Gla-ims.

This invention relates to a newaand improved apparatus. for the rapid and: accurate forming I .and'fillingof plastic ampoules;..and the like con- .gtainers, and the principal object of. thesinvention resides in the provision of .a machine for making and completely filling sanitary plastic ampoules, etc. with extreme-accuracy and at, high .qspeed to the end that the ampoulesareyvoid of air and. may be used in any way desired but particularly for medicinal purposes, including the provision of ampoules for storingmaterials to beinjected hypodermicallyyandthe provision I of a high speed automatic continuous machine forming and filling the plastic ampoules with. a minimum of attention ,or. skill required on the .-,-part of the operator.

.,A further object of theinvention residesin the provision .of a machine as above'described 1' including a storage reel or the like for plastic -tubular materials .which..may -have been pro .3

duced byany desired method,..as by extrusion,

;said tube preferably being very thin and flexible and made of plastic material in the nature of polyethylene or the like films having heat sealing qualities, preferably but not necessarily, in

combination with means for applying a covering 1: material; torprevent-sticking of the said tube when it is to be heat sealed, and means forming a guide received in the tube as the same moves along, so that the tube is substantially taut, said guide embodying a notched portion which receives asharp knife blade to slit the taut tube at an edge as it progresses over the guide, the latter embodying a filling device or nozzlegextending in through the slit and downwardly of the progressing slit tube to fill the same .con-

tinuously or in needed quantities, further in com-- bination with means to reseal the slit inthe 1 tube.

Another object of the invention resides in the provision ofmeans for accurately measuring or controlling the amount of material to be contained in each ampoule, and immediately. subsequently cross-sealing the tube, said means comprising a head having a fixed heated cross-sealing knife and a movable cooperating cross-sealing knife arranged to, move relatively toward and from each other to accomplish'the cross sealing function immediately subsequently to the relative movement toward each other of a pair of volume controlling fingers orplateswhich may be adjusted so asto eventually come to rest at Ya predetermined distance from each .other,,.the filled resealed tube being...located ,between said -.fingers and being deformed or slightly squeezed-g.

therebetween to expel any surplus material therein upwardly in the tube, so that when the cross sealing takes place, the ampoule is very accurately filled, and any air is avoided therein.

,A still further object of the invention resides in the volurne control and cross sealing closing means above described contained as a unit on a head provided with means to reciprocate the same in timed relation with the progress of the filled tube, the head moving in the direction of the tube during the interval of cross-sealing and volume control and moving in the opposite direction at an interval in the cycle when the crosssealing tools are retracted, whereby the progress of the tube may be continuous and thus more rapid resulting in higher production even though the accuracy of the volume control is maintained.

Other objects of the invention include the provision of safety devices particularly including an automatic shutoii for the filler tube, controlled, by the width of the filled tube so that'in the event the tube being filled starves, the filling tube will be completely shut off and a series incorrectly or unfilled ampoules will be avoided automatically.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear hereinafter.

Reference is to behad to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a View in side elevation of a machine according to the invention;

Fig. 2 is a View in front elevation thereof;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged view of the upper assembly of the machine in side elevation, and including the slitting, filling, and rescaling mechanism;

Fig. 4 is a front view of the apparatus shown in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a side view of the lower or cross sealing and volumetric control assembly;

Fig. 6 is a section taken on line 66 of Fig. 5;

Fig. '7 is an enlarged view showing the slit rescaling operation;

Fig. 8 is anenlarged detailed view of the shut off mechanism;

Fig. 9 is a plan view of the slitresealing means;

. Fig. 10 is a cam-timing diagram; and

Figs. 11, 12, 13 and 14 are views illustrating the volume control and cross sealing cycle.

Referring now. to Figs. 1 and 2, these figures show the machine in general and illustrate the entire mechanism comprising the base it on which is mounted a casingl2 containing a motor M. drivingby means of abelt or chain 14, a

sprocket or pulley It by means of which the entire mechanism derives its motions.

Casing it extends upwardly mounting a support or the like is and a standard is rises upwardly from the base Hi to support the upper or tube slitting and filling mechanism. By means of a reducing gearing generally indicated at 22 and another chain or belt 26, a sprocket or pulley 255 in casing 253, is rotated and drives at a slower speed a shaft 28, see Fig. 9, by means of a gear 36 which in turn drives a shaft 32, the latter mounting a longitudinal tube sealing roller 34 cooperating with a heated tube sealing roller 35 having a heating element generally indicated at 38.

A reel indicated at 459 carries a supply of a thin plastic film tube which may be made by extrusion or any other means not pertinent to the present invention. This tube is shown at d2 being drawn from reel Ml and over a roller to a point 46 indicated in Fig. l where it passes over a guide plate indicated at :38, see Fig. 4.. The guide plate 48 is flat and is received in the tube and maintains the same in taut condition so it is slightly stretched, thereby being easily slit at an edge thereof by a knife blade 53) in a block 52 mounted on an angle to the longitudinal axis of the tube and to its direction or" forward movement. This action provides a continuously moving plastic tube having a slit edge. Another reel 4% feeds a strip d3 of non-sticking material over roller 15 I to lay in against the side of the tube to be resealed by heated means.

The guide 43 is mounted in a convenient man ner on the standard is and embodies a pipe or the like having an entrance end at 54, said pipe continuing to an elbow 56 and downwardly inside the slit tube to a considerable extent terminating at a point indicated at 58 in Figs. 3 and 4. just below the nip of a pair of driven tube traveling rollers 68 which are V-shaped and tend to maintain the tube, now receiving fluid from pipe 56, in a rounded form insofar as the cross section thereof is concerned.

The edge or slit sealing rollers 3 and 355 are located below the entrance point for the pipe 58 to reseal the tube after the slit provides for the reception of the filling pipe; and as best seen in Fig. 7 the rollers 34 and 3b are provided with relatively dull double circular knife edges 62 which cooperate to reseal the tube in multiple fashion. The slit is indicated at 54 and the same is resealed at 65. The other sealing knife edges 62 form the opposite edge seal at 8%! and this shown to emphasize the fact that the tube d2 may be sealed longitudinally in multiple fashion to provide a series of ampoules, all being formed, filled and completed simultaneously. The edge "Id, of course, was not slit, and if a single tube is being filled, the seal 63 is not particularly necessary but, of course, it is to be understood that the tube 32 may be longitudinally sealed by as many edges 62 as may be found racticable.

A pair of guides indicated at '52 in Fig. 3 hold the slit edges 64 and guide them to the proper position relative to the sealing rollers 34, and 36. It will also be appreciated that the filling tube extends down through the nip of the sealing rolls 3d, as clearly shown in Fig. 7, thus helping rollers 58 in forming the tube into an oval cross sectional shape.

The tube 42 then progresses downwardly and passes through a switch arrangement M, Fig. 3, this switch having a feeler arm it which is preset to maintain an electric contact closed so as to maintain a solenoid It, Fig. 8, in such a position that a pivoted actuator arm Bil controlled thereby maintains a shut off device 82 in raised condition against the action of a spring 8%. The tube H2 is, of course, substantially full of material which is induced through pipe 56, but if for any reason such material should enter in too small a quantity, the feeler finger I6 will move inwardly since it will not be held to the right in Fig. 3 by the usual fullness of the tube. This actuates the switch and provides that the solenoid I8 will operate to release plunger 86 and allow the shut off device 82 to descend in cooperation with an oppositely directed anvil 83, pinching off the filler tube 90, see Fig. 4, and stopping the possibility of the formation of under-filled ampoules.

The filled tube indicated at 92 proceeds downwardly to the cross head generally indicated at 94. This head is reciprocated vertically by means of a link 96 operated by a pivot arm 98 oscillated by a cam track HG on a cam Illil, this cam being rotated by the motor M at a controlled speed by means of reducing gears IE2, Hi4. These gears may be varied and the gear I62 may be positioned according to the size of gear chosen by means of an apertured bar I86 receiving a yoke I08 pivotally mounting the gear I02. The effect of cam track H0 is to reciprocate head 94 in timed relation to the descent of the filled tube 82. The cross sealing is accomplished on the downward stroke of the head 94 providing an interval of time for the cross-sealing knives to remain in sealing contact with the tube, said knives being relatively retracted and raised upwardly again relatively brought inwardly to effect the succeeding cross seal, While the tube still continues to travel down.

Head 94 is vertically reciprocatorily mounted on a guide H2 and mounts a block H3 in turn carrying a heated cross-sealing knife IM. This knife is mounted in fixed relation to the head 95 but may be adjustable on the block to and from the tube when such adjustment is required. Knife H4 is electrically heated to the required degree.

A horizontal reciprocated member IlB guided in a boss I49, is controlled by an oscillating member I I8 actuated by the cam track iZil of cam [ill]. The block Hit slidably supports an element I22 upon which is mounted a volume controlling finger or plate l2 l normally urged to the left in Figs. 1, 5 and 11-14;, by means of a spring lit having one end connected to a pin I28 fixedly mounted on block H3 and connected at its other end to a pin itl) mounted on the slide I22. The finger IE4 is provided with an adjustable stop I32 providin for adjustable positioning of finger |2 l in it movement to the right, thus providing an extremely accurately adjusted positioning of this volume control finger.

A second and cooperating volume control finger I34 is mounted on a sleeve l35 adjustably mounted on a rod 136 and is provided with a spring l38 which normally extends finger I34 to the right in Fig. l with respect to a sliding member I39 which carries the sleeve and rod. The rod I36 extends outwardly of finger I34 as at MS and the degree of this extent may be controlled by threaded adjustm-ent of the rod in the sleeve I35 by means of threads I42 as actuated by knob I ll.

The member I33 is slidably mounted on a rod I44 fixed to an abutment M5 on head 96 and surrounded by a spring I46 bearing on a head I41 and on member 139. The elfect of this construction is that if member I39 be moved away from abutment I48, the spring I46 will be compressed and this spring will tend to move member I39 aesa ze? backtoward -the-abutment. "z'The'block M8 cont t'ains. a -bore ie-receiving a pin "I52 :on finger or ":The: operation bf the 1 just .above:'.-;described "mechanism provides that member I l 393 is moved toward the: head =94: byzsp'ring' 1.46m Figs. 5 and 6,

as'the rod lfl 6 is relieved by' the element H 8 starti'ing to the right and in the'direction of-the broken Hines-position indicated at l-I9. The first' effect of this motion is shown in"Fig.il2,3tl-1epart"s being at'i'rest in Flgl 11. T-he extendingend Me of rod 1 35 strikes finger "$2 k andipushesi it to th right ag'ainst the action of spring .126 which-is weaker -than spring 1 38. iWhen :stop I 5. 2 strikes the torward -edge' of a block- H 3 at I I I, see Fig.- 13, the fi-nger 1124 is positioned; and rod LI -36 kt-hen. holds finger I124 in this position. Also, finger or :plate M-is of :coursesspaced' the predetermined amount desired; by reason. otzlthe extent 140* of ithe rod 136,- andllthe .vol-ume ofthe tube"92 below the 'knives 2H4 and- 158 is accurately-determined.

Continued movement of -m-ember sltitto the 1 right'isprovided for: by the then loading or compressing of spring 1 I 38: inturn. lighter than spring l 48' which'carries the;member- "l39-'a1ong-t0 the right.

Member $39 continues in the right-hand direction under influence of spring M6. Member "I38 to' separate the ampoulesso-that the ampoules -=may be out later orea'sily'torn apart by. the *fingers.

cycle iof operation off the volume control fingergandthe cross sealing"- knives is best illustrated in Figs. l1-14= inclusive, wherein it is plainly:

--shown that the finger 134 has come to rest at a certain predetermined fdistance from finger l2 l, i thus-squeezingthe l ampoule' toa predetermined amount prior tothe coming together of the knives l M and t5!) so that any excess: material. within the ampoule being for-med is-expressed upwardly into the descending tube 92 and 'then the heat- =--sealing knives 'FM and l'50' perform their sealing "function.

After the cross-seal; theelements MS and H6. start moving in the left-handdire'dtion," forcing the knives apart as Well as the volume control fingers; at which point thelink 96 starts rising and doeszso:suiiiciently{to-position"the head 95 relative to the tube 92 atthecorrect position for.

. the succeeding volume control .operationandcross sealing operation.

:The diagram of Fig. illustrates the constant speed of the descending tube 192,.the intervals of the sealing knives being opened and c1os'ed,gand the relative volume control .movement. by. means .--of=thefingers I24 and 'l34iwhich occurs-just prior tothe closing of the sealers.

s A handle A may be used to control a clutch or the like fOIzthG power shaft.B,-.and various drives, gearing etc. are necessary taprovide-the-proper timingua-nd operation.otythezvariousparts; but

these detailsare... not pertinent and need not be described in 'gre'atdetail. The" connected, completedrampoules descenddn. a chain C: down achute D. to packaging. :or. fothertmachinery.

Having thus described my invention and the advantages thereof, I do not wish to be limited to the details herein disclosed, otherwise than as set forth in the claims, but what I claim is:

i lslApparatus-of 'the class described:comprissing a relatively:narromielongated guidegmea-ns to present a substantially continuous tube to :the guide and causing? the latter toenterthetube and t-hetube to pass 'along' the"-guide,- a knife in a generally fixedr position associated with the guide "*and extending: -'in general overlapping relation -thereto-toslit*thetube-coritinuotisly, a filler pipe positionedsubsequent to-the knifein' the-directionbf travel-of the -tube-and enteringthe slit tube means resealing thetubaand means cross sealingthe tube atintervals.

2. The apparatus bfclaimi 1 'W-h-ereinthe guide a substantiallyflat plate-likeelement and holds the tube in substantially natand taut condition,

the knife" overlapping they-edge ,iof the guide to "slit the tube att'he edge thereof.

- 3; The apparatus'ofclaim 1- whereintheguide is a substantially flat element and has a-recess at an edge-thereof, the knife entering the recess.

-' l. Apparatus 'ofthe class described comprising tube advancing means; a relativelyfixed tube slitting knife, means to guidethe-tube past the knife in cooperative "relation thereto to'slit the tube longitudinally; a pipeentering-the slit and depositingmaterial in thegtube; tube rescaling means; a feeler-type switch engaging the filled tube and effectiveto be actuated upon starving of the tube, and a pipe shut ofidevice controlled byjthe switch and effectiveto close-the pipe upon actuationof. theswitch.

- 5. Apparatus'of the class described comprising itube filling -means; continuous tube" advancing means, and tube-cross sealing-meansythe lastnamed means: comprising a pair of relatively "movable sealers, meanstomove "the sealers into and outof tube sealing relation, -means-moving the sealers along with'the tube during .the'sealing cperation withithe sealers-in sealing relation,

and in'the opposite directionwith these'alers retracted out of sealing relation, "means controlling the volume of content of the tube in-the area ;b.etween a preceding cross/seal and the position of the subsequent-cross seal,,said-vo1umecontrolling means: comprising a-movable finger, a

second movable" finger, a projection cnione finger to engage the: otherfrlnger to space the fingers, the filled tube advancing between the'fingers, means to adjust-the degree of extent of the projection fromsaid onepfinger, and means to move the fingers toward and away'from eachother.

' 6.:Apparatus of thelclassldescribed comprising tubefilling meansgcontinuous tube; advancing means, andtube cross sealing. means, .the lastnamed means comprising a pair of relatively movable sealers, .means moving the sealers along with the tube during the sealing operation with thesealersjn sealing relation .andini the opposite'jdirection.withthesealers retracted out. of sealing relation, means controlling'thevolume of content of the tube, inthearea between a preceding cross seal and;the- .position of"the subsequent ...cr o ss, seal, said volume. controlling means comprising a pairjof relatively. movable fingers effec- Erial from ;the. .tubev at. .said. area, resilient means tive .to. presslthe tube vandexpress excess mate- ..moiving.v the fingers. to. .finalvolume. controlling -.position andthe .tube. into. sealing engagement with. one .se'aler,. anclcmeans. movingv .the. other sealer into cooperative. sealing. engagement with '7; .Apparatus ,otthe :class.describedcomprising tube filling means, continuous tube advancing means, and tube cross sealing means, the lastnamed means comprising a pair of relatively movable sealers, means to move the sealers into and out of tube sealing relation, means moving the sealers along with the tube during the sealing operation with the sealers in sealing relation and in the opposite direction with the sealers retracted out of sealing relation, means controlling the volume of content of the tube in the area between a preceding cross seal and the position of the subsequent cross seal, said volume controlling means comprising a pair of relatively movable fingers efiective to press the tube and express excess material from the tube at said area, and means to predetermine the position and spacing of said fingers at the closest point of mutual approach thereof said adjustable means including an adjustable projection on one finger to engage a fixed abutment and an adjustable projection on the other finger to engage the one finger.

8. Apparatus of the class described comprising tube filling means, continuous tube advancin means, and tube cross sealing means, the lastnamed means comprising a pair of relatively movable sealers, a fixed support for one sealer and a movable support for the other sealer, means to move the movable sealer into and out of tube sealing relation, means moving the sealers along with the tube during the sealing operation with the sealers in sealing relation and in the opposite direction with the sealers relatively retracted out of sealing relation, means controlling the volume of content of the tube in the area between a preceding cross seal and the position of the subsequent cross seal, said volume contro1- ling means comprising a pair of relatively movable fingers effective to press the tube and express excess material from the tube at said area, and means on the supports to move the fingers relatively toward each other just prior to the cross sealing action means to space the fingers, and means to move one of the fingers to abut the fixed support.

9. Apparatus of the class described comprising a reciprocatory head, means advancing a filled tube therepast, the head moving with the tube and oppositely thereto in its reciprocatory travel, a pair of yieldingly tube engaging fingers on the head, one finger at each side of the tube, means to bring the fingers relatively toward each other in timed relation to the head motion during the stroke of the latter with the tube, adjustable means to effect predetermined positioning of the fingers relative to the tube, means relatively retracting the fingers on the stroke of the head opposite the tube direction of travel, sealin means for the tube, means to actuate said sealing means just subsequent to the mutual approach of the fingers, means maintaining the sealing means in sealing relation for an interval, and means maintaining the fingers in tube contacting relation for a longer interval.

10. Apparatus of the class described comprising means advancing a filled tube of heat sealable material, a reciprocatory member, means to reciprocate said member along the line of the path of the tube, a head on the member, means to reciprocate the head transversely of the path of the tube, a relatively fixed cross sealer on the member, a cooperating sealer fixed to the head, a tube volume controlling finger slidable on the member, resilient means tendin to project the finger toward the tube, a second tube volume controlling finger movable on the head, adjustable stop means on the latter finger engaging the former finger and pressing the same away from the tube, adjustable stop means on the second finger, and means to move the head toward and away from the tube to cause mutual approach of the fingers and cross sealers.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 including resilient means tending to project the second tube control fin er toward the first-named finger in advance of the sealer on the head.

12. Apparatus of the class described comprising mean advancing a filled tube of heat sealable material, a reciprocatory head, means to reciprocate said head alon th line of the path of the tube, a member on the head, means to reciprocate the member transversely of the path of the tube, a relatively fixed cross sealer on the head, a cooperating sealer fixed to the member, a tub volume controlling finger slidable on the member, resilient means tending to project the finger toward the tube, a second tube volume controlling finger movable on the head, adjustable stop means on the first finger engaging the second finger and pressing the same away from the tube, adjustable stop means on the second finger, and means to move the member toward and away from the tube to cause mutual approach of the fingers and cross sealers.

13. Apparatus or" th class described comprising a. head, means to reciprocate the head along the path of an advancing strip of scalable material, a member on the head, means to reciprocate the member thereon transversely to the direction of reciprocation of the head and to the path, a. sealing element on the head, a cooperating sealing element on the member, a volume control finger slidable on the member, means projecting the finger toward the path, a second volume control finger movable on the head, said fingers in effect reciprocating toward and away from each other and lying at opposite sides of the path, means spacing the fingers at the point of closest approach thereof, and means to move the member toward and from the path to cause mutual aproach of the fingers and sealers.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 including means timing the volume control fingers to approach each other just prior to the sealing relation of the sealing elements and to maintain this relation until after the start of the mutual retraction of the sealing elements.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 689,474 Fales Dec. 24, 1901 1,352,221 Reifsnyder Sept. 7, 1920 1,851,060 Poppe Mar. 29, 1932 1,886,047 Ritscher NOV. 1, 19 2 1,986,422 Zwoyer Jan. 1, 1935 2,113,658 Lakso Apr. 12, 1938 2,166,643 Salfisberg July 18, 1939 2,265,253 Smith Dec. 9, 1941 2,351,713 Sayre June 20, 1944 2,420,983 Salfisberg May 20, 1947 2,508,197 Singer May 16, 1950 2,509,783 Richardson May 30, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 331,527 Great Britain July 2, 19 0 

